Friends

Last night I had long (156 minutes and 16 seconds, according to my phone) and much needed conversation with a wonderful friend of mine. Friends are one of the greatest gifts we are given. I just want to say thank you to all of my friends for lifting me when I've been down, for serving me and for allowing me to serve, for caring, for sharing words of advise, for excepting me for who I am, for being an example, for laughing with me, for crying with me, for supporting me, and for just being there even if its only on the other end of a telephone line or through e-mail or blogging. I have many fond memories of moments that we have shared. They make up who I am and I will forever be grateful for all that all of you do for me. I really would be lost without the support of those I call my friends. Here are some thoughts from other people about friendship.

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.
Carl Jung Swiss psychologist (1875 - 1961)

Go through your phone book, call people and ask them to drive you to the airport. The ones who will drive you are your true friends. The rest aren't bad people; they're just acquaintances.
Jay Leno US comedian & television host (1950 - )

Don't flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become. Except in cases of necessity, which are rare, leave your friend to learn unpleasant things from his enemies; they are ready enough to tell them.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table, 1858 US author & physician (1809 - 1894)

There isn’t much better in this life than finding a way to spend a few hours in conversation with people you respect and love. You have to carve this time out of your life because you aren’t really living without it.
Real Live Preacher, RealLivePreacher.com Weblog, August 27, 2003 Anonymous author of RealLivePreacher.com

There’s a miracle of friendship that dwells within the heartAnd you don’t know how it happens or where it gets its startBut the happiness it brings you always gives a special liftAny you realize that friendshipIs God’s most perfect gift.
-Anon.

"Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything."
-Muhammad Ali

Co-sleeping, Is it Right or Wrong?

I’ve been letting Ethan sleep with me for the last few days or so. I decided to go online to find out more information about co-sleeping because I really have never done it, at least not all of the time. I have allowed it for sickness or an occasional “bad night” but usually only until they have fallen asleep and then it’s back to their bed or crib with them. I have always been told by my doctor and the nurses at the hospital that it is a bad idea and therefore have kind of marked co-sleeping as taboo. To my surprise most of my findings had positive comments about co-sleeping they even said that there are benefits from it. They just suggested you follow several safety guidelines. Here are some of my findings:

· In 1999, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recommendation against cosleeping with a baby under age two. Nevertheless, some polls show that nearly 70% of parents do share sleep with their babies either part or all of the night. The CPSC's warning is controversial and has stirred heated debate among parents, doctors and childhood development experts about the accuracy and appropriateness of the recommendation. Many experts believe that the issue demands more research.

· "Studies have shown that co-sleeping with a breastfeeding infant promotes bonding, regulates the mother and baby's sleep patterns, plays a role in helping the mother to become more responsive to her baby's cues, and gives both the mother and baby needed rest. The co-sleeping environment also assists mothers in the continuation of breastfeeding on demand, an important step in maintaining the mother's milk supply. " ~Dr James McKenna

· "For millions of years, the normal sleeping position of human infants has been on their backs nestled next to mother. Only in western cultures do we force babies to sleep alone, thinking they are more safe and independent placed in a crib with no contact. But history, and how most babies sleep in other cultures, suggests that the West is out of step with what is best physically and emotionally for our children." ~ Meredith Small, anthropologist and author of Our Babies Ourselves

· Parents choose (or choose not) to cosleep with their babies for many reasons. Some parents believe that babies simply belong in the parent’s bed, while others have serious concerns about SIDS and safety. While some parents feel cosleeping is detrimental, dangerous and/or an invasion of privacy, others feel just as strongly that cosleeping is the best thing for them and their baby. Most people will agree that cosleeping has both advantages as well as disadvantages. There is no right or wrong place for your baby to sleep, as long as your baby’s safety is top priority. Not sleeping with your baby doesn’t make you a bad parent. The type of sleeping arrangement you decide on must be what works best for your family.

Right now, I’m choosing to sleep with Ethan more out of necessity than anything. I need to get my rest so that I can get through the day for my other children. I don’t know how long I’ll continue to do it but for right now it’s what is working. It is nice to know that maybe it’s not taboo like I thought! What do you think? (He looks pretty comfy huh!)

Tidbits

Just a few tidbits from the last few days:

The boys are fascinated with dinosaurs. After purchasing a dino book this conversation took place.
Jacob: Can we have a dinosaur as a pet?
Tate: Dinosaurs eat meat.........we're meat!!!
I just thought that it was hilarious that there was no mention that dinosaurs are extinct, just that they are meat eaters and Tate didn't want to get eaten.

After finding the toilet clogged:
Mom: Did anything that is not supposed to go in the toilet get put in the toilet? You used it last.
Tate: (nonchalantly) Well, my pull back Monster Truck fell in while I was going potty.
Yes, I will be calling a plumber today.

We were in a big hurry to get Conner to school.
Mom: You'd better be buckled by the time we get to the MAIN road.
Jacob: (nervously) Mom, please don't go on the MEAN road yet, my not buckled.

After coming home from his first time at "big boy" primary:
Jacob: My got to go to pwhymary, it was gwait!

Faith

"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends and pour out peace." President Ezra Taft Benson

Why is this so hard to do? Look at all of the tremendous blessings promised if only we had the faith to turn our lives completely over to God.

BEWITCHED!

It's official. I want to be a witch. No, not the type you are thinking of I'm sure. I want to be Isabel who played Samantha in the most recent version of "Bewitched." I would love to have the ability to transform my house into a beautifully clean and well decorated masterpiece with just the wiggle of the nose. Just think all of the things we never let our kids do or play with could easily be managed with this special power. play dough, no problem. Peanut butter sandwiches on the couch, go ahead. You want to come in the house soaking wet, sure. I could finally have the time I need to accomplish everything!!! Laundry and dishes would never pile up. Bills would be paid as soon as they were received, the refrigerator would always be stocked, dinner would be ready at 5 p.m. sharp and it would be delicious and healthy too. Church clothes would be ironed and ready to go well before Sunday morning rolls around, the floors would be so clean that you could eat off them. I would be dressed and ready for the day first thing in the morning and the dog poop, what dog poop! I would have cute handouts ready and prepared for every church lesson I had to teach, my yard and garden would be immaculate, family home evening lessons would be well planned and very exciting for everyone, all of my children would be clean and well groomed, beds always made, base boards always clean, and blinds always open letting in the warm sunshine! The list really would never end of things that I could and would have done if I were a witch. Most importantly, I would have time to do the things I really want to do but for some reason they are push aside because I have to many things that I have to do. I would love to curl up in a comfy chair with a good book , take a long walk, catch up on my scrapbooks, and make homemade birthday cards for friends and all family members including nieces & nephews. My kids would benefit greatly too. I would make science experiments with Conner, play board games with Tate, find snails with Jake, play dollies with Grace, and just hold & love my newborn, Ethan all the time. It would also allow me to spend more quality time with Scott because I wouldn't always be too busy! Yes I know, what I am asking for is unrealistic because I'll never be a witch (at least not this kind) but I do have to find better balance in my life. I'm tired of always having too much to do. I am finding that I am missing out on a lot of important family things because I can't not clean the floor or do the laundry, etc. The bottom line is that I am unhappy. I feel worn out and used up. I know that there is more to life than this. I just need to figure out how to let some things go. So, now you know, my number one and only (although it encompasses every aspect of my life) goal for 2007 is not to "bewitched" but to find balance! Wish me luck :)

Momma's Boy's (Or So I Thought)

(Conner & Tate November 2003 and Today)

We were packed and getting ready to go when Conner and Tate were invited to stay a couple of extra days with their cousins, Westin who is 11 months older Conner, and Chase who is 1 week younger than Tate. I tried to come up with a good reason why they couldn't but the fact was there was not a good reason. Conner was still on Holiday Break and Curt had volunteered to bring the boys back to the valley because he had to come anyway. The only reason I could think of was that I was going to miss them terribly. The Boys were all grins and giggles when we told them that they could stay. We could barely get hugs and kisses before they were off playing again. They didn't even watch us leave or wave good-bye. I guess they figured that a "see ya" would suffice. You know that awful feeling you have when you are leaving on a trip and you think you have forgotten something but you can't figure out what. Well that's how I felt multiplied by a billion. I knew what I left behind though and I couldn't just go to the drug store and get another one. (or two in this case) It was very strange not having them around and to make matters worse when I called them they barely wanted to talk. They were way to busy having a great time. It's a sad day when a mother realizes that she needs her kids more than they need her. The bottom line is that they are growing up. I know that we can't have the time back that has passed and my little boys won't stay little forever. They are starting to chart their own course, be who they are and express how they feel for which I am grateful. I am grateful that they are able to try new things. I'm grateful that they feel confident enough to be alone, and still be okay. I'm grateful that they can face they day and the challenges that come their way. I'm grateful that they can take care of themselves. (at least most of the time) I know that they have a lot more learning and growing to do, heck I'm still learning, but they are on the right track. Whether they like it or not they will always be "Momma's Boy's."

Happy New Year!

We just recently returned from our annual New Year's trip to Scott's brother's house in Chino Valley, Arizona. We had a great time ringing in the New Year with the Skousen clan. We filled our days watching football, football, and more football, with an occasional basketball game in between. Since I'm not a big fan of the whole watch sports until you drop thing, and knowing that was what was on the agenda for the weekend, I packed some crafty things to do. I totally took advantage of the kids playing happily with their cousins and Scott's football fascination and finished not only my Christmas Cards but Ethan's birth announcement also. (I was starting to worry that I just might not be able to pull it off this time.) What a great way to start the New Year - finishing projects! I have a million projects that are either half finished or are just in mental form, not started or finished - not even written down, just things that I would really love to do someday. (I find that I'm afraid to write them down because then they become part of a never ending list of things that I haven't accomplished. I try to keep lists of things that I can fairly easily get done. I like the look of a list full of things crossed off! It makes me feel good to be able to say, "look what I did today!") So, for all of you waiting, your cards are on their way. I also enjoyed watching a couple of movies while we were there. I don't watch much T.V. of any kind so I enjoy an occasional movie. I will have to say that I "scrapped" right through "Nacho Lib re" (sp?) though. Sorry, I'm not one that loves movies without point or purpose - that kind of stupid humor is not for me. The best part of that movie was watching everyone else laugh uncontrollably. I love to see my family happy. I did enjoy "Invincible." (Yes, a football movie and I missed the showing of "Glory Road" - a basketball flick. I certainly married into a family of sports nuts didn't I!) Well, the trip was fun, the food was great, and Ethan did good. Overall a great way to start a New Year!